The Citizen, 1995-11-08, Page 6Joke's on you
Comedian Gord Paynter entertained a group of public
service workers from Grey, Bruce, Huron and Perth
Counties during the Ontario Municipal Social Services fall
seminar held in Blyth, Nov. 3. Blind since the age of 22,
Paynter tried to describe a volunteer just by the touch of
her hand and her voice, for hilarious results.
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PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1995.
Comedian brings inspiring message to Blyth
By Janice Becker
Tired of searching the newspa-
pers looking for employment and
standing in long lines for applica-
tions that take you nowhere? Is
owning your own business some-
thing you've always wanted to do?
The Huron Self Employment
Assistance Program (SEA), a joint
effort between the Huron County
Small Business Resource Centre,
Canada Employment Centre and
the Huron County Department of
Social Services, offers people
receiving social assistance or
unemployment benefits or are eligi-
ble to receive UI the chance to
become entrepreneurs.
Public service workers from
Huron, Bruce, Grey and Perth
Counties gathered in Blyth on Nov.
3, to discuss the workings of SEA
Continued from page 4
realize that what they did caused a
lot of upset to three young children.
Imagine, trying to explain to two
year, four year and five year old
children that this was no accident
but rather the result of someone
stealing the pumpkin and purposely
destroying it. Please! Think about
what you are doing and what
repercussions your actions have to
innocent people.
Think too about Mr. Cardiff's
incident of bales of hay set ablaze.
These bales had already been sold
to someone. What about that person
who had been relying on this
product, and now what kind of
situation will he be in?
My four-year-old daughter said:
"Let's find him mommy, and put
him in the polluted water and leave
him there!"
Imagine! That's what she felt and
I could empathize with her but yet I
had to correct her and say that we
should instead say a prayer for him
and hope that he will never do
something like this again.
Well rest assured, the prayer has
been said and I sincerely hope that
we now have touched a soft spot in
your heart.
"An Upset Mother"
Pauleen Kerkhof.
THE EDITOR,
Recently my brother and his
fiance were killed in a car accident
which was reported extensively in
the local media.
When such a tragedy occurs,
newspapers, radio and television
stations tend to forget that the
families who are left behind are
suffering the loss. Every time they
and the step by step process for
applicants as they are approved.
Begun in early 1993, SEA
ensures continued support from
government agencies while provid-
ing training, consulting, advice and
technical support to the fledgling
business people.
SEA clients must meet certain
requirements, other than receiving
UI or social assistance. They must
agree to work at least 30 hours per
week at the business, make a per-
sonal investment of 25 per cent
either in cash or equity prepare a
business plan to be approved by
Canada Employment .and Immigra-
tion Centre, conform to all legal
regulations, maintain proper books
and report monthly to a business
advisor.
In return, the business advisor
turn on the radio or TV or pick up a
newspaper, they arc forced to relive
the tragedy.
Such was the case when my
brother was killed. Even though I
called the local television stations
and requested they not run the film
clips of the accident scene, I was
told that this was news and they
would be running it anyway.
Why is it necessary to show all
these ugly pictures? Is this the only
way they are able to stay in
business? Do they not realize they
are using people's grief to sell their
papers and keep up their ratings?
When the television crews go
charging in at an accident scene to
film things like this, they don't have
anyone's permission — not the
accident victim's, not the families'
nor, in some cases, even the police.
I am really angry that my wishes
were ignored with regards to the
airing of this and I felt it necessary
to write and vent, my anger and
frustration. There must be a more
compassionate way of dealing with
tragic accidents like this. These
people have loved ones who are
being hurt deeply every time they
see the clips or hear the news
broadcasts. Sometimes the reports
don't even have all the facts straight
and have to retract some of the
things they say at the next
broadcast. Do they not realize how
much pain they are causing?
I am sure I am not the only
person wtio feels this way. Perhaps
others have suffered in the same
way and will join with me in trying
to change a policy that causes so
much pain.
Sserda Bongertman.
provides feedback to the client,
suggesting training which may be
helpful and offering support and
guidance.
The program has been very suc-
cessful in Huron County with more
than 45 businesess and services
developing through SEA.
The enterprises range from retail
outlets for health and bulk food,
clothing, used sports equipment
and gifts to the manufacture of beer
and wine and honey as well as
accounting services, an architect,
personal training and a temporary
employment service.
A second seminar was held dur-
ing the morning of the conference
which dealt with the operation of
the Social Assistance Review
Board.
The afternoon was filled with
laughter as Gord Paynter took to
the stage at Memorial Hall, to both
brighten the faces of the more than
50 in attendance and motive those
gathered that any goal can be
Not only was the recent trade
show at the Blyth and District
Community Centre a great success
for the eight dealers exhibiting their
products, but the local United Way
will benefit from the $120 raised
through donations.
Union Gas and its seven local
dealer members showed off the lat-
est in natural gas fireplaces, water
heaters, furnaces, stoves, dryers
reached.
Paynter, 37, who lost his eyesight
to diabetes at the age of 22while
vacationing in Wales, had to over-
come the resulting depression to
pursue his lifelong dream of
becoming a standup comedian.
Though told repeated he could
not reach the goal he had set for
himself, Paynter says he is not the
type to accept "I can't".
After dealing with the hatred he
developed for everyone and every-
thing around him, Paynter says he
realized he had to look at (the
blindness) "as an adventure; as life
is."
His moment of coping with the
blindness and facing his future
came when forced to use his white
cane for the first time on a self-
imposed solo trip to Europe. Payn-
ter realized that he could handle
any of life's situations (with a little
help from those around him).
For the past 11 years, Paynter has
and barbecues to the 170 visitors
who toured the exhibits.
Those attending were also the
recipients of 20 door prizes donated
by the dealers.
Union Gas has over 400 cus-
tomers signed up for the service
and encourages anyone interested
to visit the local offices in Blyth,
Brussels, Wingham or Teeswater.
delivered his Leave 'em Laffin
show to hundreds, encouraging
them to reach for their goals and to
believe in their faith and ability to
achieve.
"Anyone can overcome any chal-
lenge or obstacle and a disability is
just a matter of attitude."
Letters to the editor
United Way gets $120